cb.imajica1-第5部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃The Bastard Boy speaks。〃
〃I wish you wouldn't call me that。〃
〃It's what you are。 You haven't changed in eight years。 The world grows old； but the Bastard Boy keeps his perfection。 Speaking of which…〃
〃Employ me。〃
〃Don't interrupt me when I'm gossiping。 Speaking of which； I saw Clem the Sunday before last。 He asked after you。 He's put on a lot of weight。 And his love life's almost as disastrous as yours。 Taylor's sick with the plague。 I tell you； Gentle； celibacy's the thing。〃
〃So employ me。〃
〃It's not as easy as that。 The market's soft at the moment。 And； well； let me be brutal： I have a new wunder…kind。〃 He got up。 〃Let me show you。〃 He led Gentle through the house to the study。 'The fellow's twenty…two； and I swear if he had an idea in his head he'd be a great painter。 But he's like you； he's got the talent but nothing to say。〃
〃Thanks；〃 said Gentle sourly。
〃You know it's true。〃 Klein switched on the light。 There were three canvases； all unframed； in the room。 One； a nude woman after the style of Modigliani。 Beside it； a small landscape after Corot。 But the third； and largest of the three； was the coup。 It was a pastoral scene； depicting classically garbed shepherds standing； in awe； before a tree in the trunk of which a human face was visible。
〃Would you know it from a real Poussin？〃
〃Is it still wet？〃 Gentle asked。
〃Such a wit。〃
Gentle went to give the painting a more intimate examination。 This period was not one he was particularly expert in； but he knew enough to be impressed by the handiwork。 The canvas was a close weave； the paint laid upon it in careful regular strokes； the tones built up； it seemed； in glazes。
〃Meticulous； eh？〃 said Klein。
〃To the point of being mechanical。〃
〃Now； now； no sour grapes。〃
〃I mean it。 It's just too perfect for words。 You put this in the market and the game's up。 Now； the Modigliani's another matter…〃
〃That was a technical exercise；〃 Klein said。 〃I can't sell that。 The man only painted a dozen pictures。 It's the Poussin I'm betting on。〃
〃Don't。 You'll get stung。 Mind if I get another drink？〃
Gentle headed back through the house to the lounge； Klein following； muttering to himself。
〃You've got a good eye。 Gentle；〃 he said； 〃but you're unreliable。 You'll find another woman and off you'll go。〃
〃Not this time。〃
〃And I wasn't kidding about the market。 There's no room for bullshit。〃
〃Did you ever have a problem with a piece I painted？〃
Klein mused on this。 〃No；〃 he admitted。
〃I've got a Gauguin in New York。 Those Fuseli sketches I did…〃
〃Berlin。 Oh； yes； you've made your little mark。〃
〃Nobody's ever going to know it； of course。〃
〃They will。 In a hundred years' time your Fuselis will look as old as they are； not as old as they should be。 People will start to investigate； and you； my Bastard Boy； will be discovered。 And so will Kenny Soames and Gideon： all my deceivers。〃
〃And you'll be vilified for bribing us。 Denying the twentieth century all that originality。〃
〃Originality； shit。 It's an overrated modity； you know that。 You can be a visionary painting Virgins。〃
〃That's what I'll do； then。 Virgins in any style。 I'll be celibate； and I'll paint Madonnas all day。 With child。 Without child。 Weeping。 Blissful。 I'll work my balls off； Kleiny； which'll be fine because I won't need them。〃
〃Forget the Virgins。 They're out of fashion。〃
〃They're forgotten。〃
〃Decadence is your strongest suit。〃
〃Whatever you want。 Say the word。〃
〃But don't fuck with me。 If I find a client and promise something to him； it's up to you to produce it。〃
〃I'm going back to the studio tonight。 I'm starting over。 Just do one thing for me？〃
〃What's that？〃
〃Burn the Poussin。〃
He had visited the studio on and off through his time with Vanessa…he'd even met Marline there on two occasions when her husband had canceled a Luxembourg trip and she'd been too heated to miss a liaison…but it was charmless and cheerless； and he'd returned happily to the house in Wimpole Mews。 Now； however； he weled the studio's austerity。 He turned on the little electric fire； made himself a cup of fake coffee with fake milk； and； under its influence； thought about deception。
The last six years of his life…since Judith； in fact…had been a series of duplicities。 This was not of itself disastrous…after tonight it would once more be his profess sion…but whereas painting had a tangible end result （two； if he included the repense）； pursuit and seduction always left him naked and empty…handed。 An end to that； tonight。 He made a vow； toasted in bad coffee； to the God of Forgers； whoever he was； to bee great。 If duplicity was his genius； why waste it on deceiving husbands and mistresses？ He should turn it to a profounder end； produc ing masterpieces in another man's name。 Time would validate him； the way Klein had said it would： uncover his many works and show him； at last； as the visionary he was about to bee。 And if it didn't…if Ktein was wrong and his handiwork remained undiscovered forever…then that was the truest vision of all。 Invisible； he would be seen； un known； he'd be influential。 It was enough to make him for get women entirely。 At least for tonight。
3
AT DUSK THE CLOUDS OVER MANHATTAN； which had threatened snow all day； cleared and revealed a pristine sky； its color so ambiguous it might have fueled a philosophical debate as to the nature of blue。 Laden as she was with her day's purchases； Jude chose to walk back to Marlin's apartment at Park Avenue and 80th。 Her arms ached； but it gave her time to turn over in her head the encounter which had marked the day and decide whether she wanted to share it with Martin or not。 Unfortunately； he had a lawyer's mind： at best； cool and analytical； at worst； reductionist。 She knew herself well enough to know that if he challenged her account in the latter mode she'd almost certainly lose her temper with him； and then the atmosphere between them； which had been （with the exception of his overtures） so easy and undemanding； would be spoiled。 It was better to work out what she believed about the events of the previous two hours before she shared it with Marlin。 Then he could dissect it at will。
Already； after going over the encounter a few times； it was being； like the blue overhead； ambiguous。 But she held on hard to the facts of the matter。 She'd been in the menswear department of Bloomingdale's； looking for a sweater for Marlin。 It was crowded； and there was nothing on display that she thought appropriate。 She'd started to pick up the purchases at her feet when she'd caught sight of a face she knew； looking straight at her through the moving mesh of people。 How long had she seen the face for？ A second； two at most？ Long enough for her heart to jump and her face to flush； long enough for her mouth to open and shape the word Gentle。 Then the traffic between them had thickened； and he'd disappeared。 She'd fixed the place where he'd been； stooped to pick up her baggage； and gone after him； not doubting that it was he。
The crowd slowed her progress； but she soon caught sight of him again； heading towards the door。 This time she yelled his name； not giving a damn if she looked a fool； and dove after him。 She was impressive in full flight； and the crowd yielded； so that by the time she reached the door he was only yards away。 Third Avenue was as thronged as the store； but there he was； heading across the street。 The lights changed as she got to the curb。 She went after him anyway； daring the traffic。 As she yelled again he was buffeted by a shopper； on some business as urgent as hers； and he turned as he was struck； giving her a second glimpse of him。 She might have laughed out loud at the absurdity of her error had it not disturbed her so。 Either she was losing her mind； or she'd followed the wrong man。 Either way； this black man； his ringleted hair gleaming on his shoulders； was not Gentle。 Momentarily undecided as to whether to go on looking or to give up the chase there and then； her eyes lingered on the stranger's face； and for a heartbeat or less his features blurred and in their flux； caught as if by the sun off a wing in the stratosphere； she saw Gentle； his hair swept back fr
